Oh wow! It looks terrific!
Thanks for the update and the images!
Nice, thick foliage.

Josh

Looks great! A good lesson for those of us who are reluctant to prune, too. :)
Thanks for sharing.
Nigell

I'd love to to a front shot. One looking at the plant instead of down on it. The plant looks very good. Good job.

randy

WTG! While it can be intimidating to whack on our plants (not trusting our own eye), it is almost always better for the plant. Good job! Jo

Thanks Josh, Nigell and Randy.Appreciate the kind words...

Randy, I took these tonight on my dining table with ceiling fan lights, not the best light. Hopefully This might be more of the frontal view that you mention.

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Such a beautiful silky trunk!
Thanks again for sharing.

Josh

It's nice plant.

Your jade looks great! Thinking about pruning mine back hard now...

I know it is an unrelated species, but does anyone know if Portulacaria Afra will respond to hard pruning in the same manner?

Good job!

Tom

Thanks Jo and Tom...Josh and Randy, appreciate it!

Tom, that's a good question, as I have 2 or 3 or those also, small size, but it is growing out of control. I know this is part of its nature, but it could use a haircut too. Maybe someone can posts some pics of pruned Portulacari Afra, would love to see it.

Beautiful Jade!!! I have several small ones but can't seem to get them to grow like this one. Direct sun? Semi sunny? Any help appricated!

I've pruned my P. Afra before, but not as hard (i.e., past any green growth) as you did to your jade. I think it would bud back as your jade did, but I was hoping someone could confirm that for me before I took the 'plunge'.

Thanks.

Hi maz436,

Thanks, sorry can't help with that, I've only had this jade for a year. I was lucky enough to buy one this size. I had it in full sun appx. 8 hours a day pretty much everyday I had it. Looking back I think that may have been too much sun in the summer here. I noticed that the jade didn't grow at all in the summer for me. Just way too hot and humid. This summer I will give it some shade in the afternoon.

I'm pretty new to jades myself, but I will be happy to tell you what's worked for me so far. Direct sun for at least 4 hours or more depending on your zone. I use Schultz Cactus Fertilizer once a month when it's growing. I water deeply when the soil is dry and use a very fast draining soil. I'm sure there's more knowledgeable members here that can help you. I have read a lot of posts here, very helpful.

Good luck with your jades...

Tom, if you are referring to cutting p. afra back below the foliage point, chop away. It will come back. Just use your common sense: wait till its growth season, keep it out of direct sun until it grows some new "shade" and don't over-water, the usual. hth ~ Jo

I have been suggesting this for eight years, finally someone did it and showed me the results, you did a great job. Don't be afraid to cuting up Portulcaria afr. leave a little green on to encourage growth again. I don't grow mine in direct sun either, but it will color up better. I hope you will report the results, this species tend to be a basket species, they just droop down. I have never tried wireing the plant. Norma

Norma, I'll be documenting my jade-pruning as well.
If not for this forum, I never would have taken the plunge...

Josh

One of the top bonsai artists in the states grows P. afra as bonsai. When grown in sun they make exceptional strong looking upright plants. Haven't visited his web site in a few years, but he had some in the $5,000.00 up price range if you are interested in a nice one. :-)

randy

randy - Jim Smith is the bonsai artist I think you are referring to. One of the first artists to use it in bonsai.

Here's my little P. Afra. They are pretty tolerant trees - just wasn't sure about the bud back from bare branches. I may do that in spots to this one, come spring...

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WOW!!! Tom, your bonsai P. Afra is gorgeous!! The trunk is so thick. Mine is a baby(actually a preemie),LOL, compared to that. How old is it? Doesn't look like you need to prune it from where I'm sitting. Thanks for posting...I love looking at pictures.

Thanks!...I have had it for about 10 years or so. There are some branches in the back that I may want to bring in a bit (hard to see in the photo). In order to do so, I may need to prune them beyond foliage.

Tom

Very nice plant Tom. Yes, Jim is the person I was referring to. I visited his place a number of years ago.

Tom, that's a great tree.
The nebari is superb...is that reddish root color natural?
Splendid photo!

Josh

Josh -

Root color is all natural - no dye-jobs here!

Randy -

I just got off the phone with Jim Smith earlier today. Spring is coming, so I am getting the "need to get me sumthin' nice" bug (anyone else get that?). Looking for a bigger P. Afra, maybe. He must have a great nursery, judging from his work. Picked up an Adansonia Digitata (baobab) from him last year.

Tom

Tom, I think your tree has a fine balance of exposed root-flare, and I think it's a prime model for what I'd like to achieve with some of my plants. Thanks for the image!

Josh

BTW, for anyone thinking about whacking their P.Afra - I ran it by Jim Smith. Basically, he confirmed that they will come back like gangbusters, growing conditions considered (he was careful to keep saying "in his growing conditions" - aka Florida). That said, he was not a fan of selective hardpruning - he said you should keep a balanced approach, i.e., prune the entire tree back hard, not a branch or two. He felt that, if you are selective, you put those branches in jeopardy, and they may not survive.

Does this also apply to these techniques with crassula?

Tom

This past fall, I selectively removed the tip of a branch that had grown longer than any other branch. The growth on that single branch seems to be doing fine, with new leaves about a half inch in size. Of course, the plant was healthy before the prune (which undoubtedly helps), and I made sure that my tools and cut were clean.

This coming fall, when the jade's grown out a bit more, I'll evaluate the overall shape again and make my cuts...

Josh

Great pics and great ideas!

Mike